■ farm and garden december
Best days according to Moon phases.
Best planting days Above ground crops . . .
Root crops . . . . . . . . . . . . Seed beds . . . . . . . . . . . . Kill plant pests . . . . . . . . .
Best fishing days Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Poor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3-4, 22-23, 26-27, 30-31 8-9, 15-19 8-9, 18-19 14
Folksy Tips, Hints & Wisdom
Winter Gardening Advice A few tips to help you protect your plants
8-9, 26-27 3-4, 18, 24-25 5-7, 13-14, 19, 30-31 1-2, 10-12, 15-17, 20-23, 28-29
Best days to do other stuff Begin diet to gain weight . . . . . . . . . . . .
Begin diet to lose weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . Begin logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breed animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Make sauerkraut, can, or pickle . . . . . . . Cut hair to discourage growth . . . . . . . . Cut hair to encourage growth . . . . . . . . Cut hay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Destroy pests and weeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . End projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Go camping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graft or pollinate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harvest above ground vegetables . . . . Harvest below ground vegetables . . . . Go to the dentist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plant above ground vegetables . . . . . . . Plant below ground vegetables . . . . . . . Prune to discourage growth . . . . . . . . . . Prune to encourage growth . . . . . . . . . . Quit smoking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set posts or pour concrete . . . . . . . . . . . Start projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wean animals and children . . . . . . . . . . .
After several years of mild winters, southeast Oklahoma got slammed by Old Man Winter last year. While forecasters are predicting a warmer winter this year, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t turn bitter in the blink of an eye. When and if that happens, provide a little extra protection for your shrubs, young trees and other plants.
4, 31
13, 18 22-23 18-19 18-19 15-16
3-4, 30-31 1-2, 28-29 1-2, 28-29 20-21 20-21 8-9
3-4, 30-31 13-14 13-14 26-27 18-19 20-21
1-2, 28-29 13, 18 22-23 23-24 13, 18
—from the Old Farmer’s Almanac
The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers good advice on locating plants for the best chance of survival, particularly if you’ve selected a variety that is less winter hardy. When considering a location near a building, remember that west walls reflect heat, which can damage plants due to the daily freezing and thawing. The same plants growing in the shadow of north walls may be less damaged because they thaw more slowly.
Dry winter winds can be hard on certain plants, especially young trees and shrubs. To protect your plant from winter winds, place it on the downwind side of a wall or wind break of other trees andshrubs.
To help newly planted trees survive their first winter, refrain from pruning lower limbs during their first year. Removing too many could result in winter damage from the wind and sun. To protect newly planted trees from sun scald, wrap the truck with commercial tree wrap. (Remember to remove the wrap in the spring. )
While it’s easy to overlook the need to water during the winter,don’t do it. Lack of moisture is a major cause of winter damage! All plants—particularly narrowleaf and broadleaf evergreens—use water during the winter. Make sure enough moisture is available below the frost line or frozen soil. Hollies and other broadleaf evergreens should be watered once a month, and remember plants located under building eaves that don’t catch as much rain.
Finally, if the weather forecast suggest bitter cold temperatures are on the way, give your plants a good drink at least six hours before the weather is expected to change. Moist soil retains warmth better than dry soil, so a good watering will help protect your plant’s roots.
10 | december 2014
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